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How to avoid a last-minute panic when bidding for a tender

You have found a tender that your company would be perfect for – fantastic!

But the deadline is tight and now you’re racing against time to submit the tender.

To avoid a last-minute panic when bidding for a tender, follow our Top 10 Tips:

  1. Read tender documents carefully

Download all the documents provided on the portal, read them carefully and consider:

  • Contract value
  • Length of contract
  • Key dates (submission deadline, contract award notice date, clarification dates, etc)
  • Contract details
  • Key requirements

    2. Plan, plan, plan!

Familiarise yourself with the bidding process. Have you been involved in tendering before? If so, what did you learn? Can you transfer any knowledge gained from your previous bids to create a more efficient plan this time?

You need to ensure your company is ‘tender ready’ and that you can fulfil the contract and submit a compelling bid before the deadline.

Often people underestimate the time it takes to prepare, write and submit a tender. From pre-bid to post-bid there is a large time span. Plan your answers so you hit all of the points the commissioner is looking for.

3. Get organised

Bid co-ordination is a key component of planning and organising a bid. Delegate tasks to the people within the company who are best placed to provide the relevant information. You may want to dedicate an individual to co-ordinating the bid and keeping track of the information required.

Create an information spreadsheet or mobilisation plan to keep track of who is responsible for gathering which piece of information. Set achievable deadlines to ensure information is gathered in time. Create shared folders to enable individuals to easily upload relevant information and documents.

4. Formatting

It is vital to consider the formatting of answers. For example, if the commissioner states they want the font to be Arial size 11, follow this guidance.

Answers will also be limited to specific word counts. Specify word counts at the end of your answers to save the commissioner time.

5. Relevant attachments

The PQQ (Pre-Qualification Questionnaire) will state the relevant attachments needed to support your submission. This may include:

  • Company policies
  • Case studies
  • Organisational charts
  • Mobilisation plans
  • Project plans

Case studies take time to write. Ensure you have relevant case studies prior to bidding. Attachments should be ready to be uploaded at the time of submission.

6. Clarify all ambiguities

Clarify any uncertainties as soon as possible. The clarification stage invites bidders to raise queries. At this stage, you should clarify anything you are unsure of.

The commissioner releases a list of these questions and their responses after this stage. Read through this carefully to check if there is anything relevant to your bid.

7. Pricing

Is your price right? A thorough pricing plan, prior to bidding, is essential. Having the means in place to fulfil the contract is vital and commissioners will look for a detailed and thorough pricing plan.

Make sure you have carefully evaluated your pricing – you can lose marks, or even worse, lose out on winning the tender completely, solely due to pricing.

8. Check thoroughly

It is important to check your tender responses thoroughly to check they are grammatically correct and read well. Sharpen your phrasing and key messages in your answers and ensure you are hitting the main answer requirements stated by the commissioner. Look at ways to make what you are saying more concise and ‘to the point’.

Get others to check through the answers to help refine key messages and add in any valuable points.

9. Submit early

Any tenders submitted after the deadline, even if it is only a few seconds late, won’t be considered!

However, before the deadline has expired, tender portals will allow you to amend or upload any additional documents after your initial submission. So, if you are waiting on that final quote or evidence to ‘slot-in’, get a completed bid submitted first. You can re-open, refine, and re-submit when it arrives.

If you’re still in the initial stages, deciding whether to bid or not to bid for a tender, read our ‘To Bid or Not to Bid’ blog post to help you make a decision.

10. Ask the experts

If this is really out of your comfort zone, ask for help. Often the value of the contract awarded by far outweighs the cost of using a consultant or advisor with years of bidding experience and it significantly boosts your chances of submitting a winning tender bid.

If you need help with tendering, get in touch today to see how we can help. Contact info@klowconsulting.com or give us a call on 0330 133 1041.

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Looking ahead to 2020: A successful year for K Low Consulting

Reflection on 2019

We’ve had a great year at K Low Consulting and are excited about the new year ahead! In this article, our team reflects on 2019 and looks ahead to the future of K Low Consulting.

In 2019, we have experienced significant and rapid growth. We have expanded our associate team, which includes bid professionals with significant writing and management experience, senior clinicians and specialist advisors, such as quality management and accreditation. Our team has been in high spirits throughout the year, keeping up with client demand and workload.

An intern from Nottingham Trent University’s graduate scheme, Mia Penny, was employed as a ‘Marketing and Tender Executive’. With the help of another associate writer from the team, Victoria, they have experienced some fantastic marketing wins in 2019.

“From September 2019 I joined K Low Consulting as a ‘Marketing and Tender’ intern after studying a master’s degree in Media and Public Relations at the University of Leicester. Since joining, I have been involved in different aspects of the business and have benefitted from hands-on experience from the outset. Krisja has helped me in developing my skill set and has guided me when learning new skills. Shadowing Krisja and being heavily involved in daily business activities has been challenging but exciting! I have particularly enjoyed being involved in Marketing the company and launching the website, which has resulted in some fantastic marketing wins at this early stage! I’m looking forward to the year ahead and seeing where my role at K Low Consulting takes me.”
-Mia Penny, Marketing and Tender Executive.

Wins of 2019

Within our first year, we have had some fantastic results. Our STATS have been evidence of our work this year,  we have had circa. 88% of client wins, 90% client retention and delivered 615% social return on investment for an £800k contract.

We strive to strengthen current partnerships with our clients in 2020, helping them to win more high-value contracts and develop their organisations even further. Looking ahead to 2020, we’re seeking to create more partnerships and build our client base.

Progressing on to a digital landscape, 2019 saw the launch of our website and social media accounts. Since the launch, we have had some remarkable results, including being on the first page of Google within 5 weeks of the website launch.

Some Testimonials from 2019

“Krisja and his team are knowledgeable about the Education industry and approached the tender in a systematic and organised manner. Although there was a tight deadline, they went above and beyond to involve themselves with our organisation and gather as much information as possible to produce an excellent tender response. They provided a fresh input into any potential issues and identified these in the early stages. For our most recent project with Krisja, we have been invited to the next stage and we are confident that we will win the tender. I would recommend Krisja and his team to anyone, and plan to work with him in many more projects in the future. Thanks again for the hard work.”

-Business and Resources Executive, Educational Establishment.

“… Thank you so much for the effort you and your team put in.  You kept us on track throughout the submission process and although we only had a short amount of time to work on this tender, you covered every answer in-depth & we were very pleased with that we had pulled together!  Pleasure to work with.”

Chief Executive Officer, Specialist Social Care Recruitment Provider.

“This is the second NHS dental tender we have worked with Krisja on. We won the first and are very confident of our chances on the second. He is always professional, diligent and flexible. His knowledge and input on healthcare bid strategy, delivery models, and commissioner perception is excellent. He always goes beyond compliance, to find creative ways of making our proposal the very best it can be!”

Practice Director, Dental Practice Group.

Click Here to See More Testimonials

Some outstanding wins in 2019

A glimpse into 2020

In 2020, K Low Consulting plans to continue assisting our clients to produce outstanding results. We carry through our ethos and values, continuing to win tenders for clients. There are also plans underway to deliver tender and funding workshops to Practice Managers after partnering up the Practice Managers Association (keep an eye out on details to follow!).

We’re also heavily involved in with the development and launch of an innovative Healthtech tool, MSK Gateway. This tool supports GPs to reduce appointment time, improve patient experience and outcomes. It enables GPs to manage their patients better by assigning them tailored exercises based on their symptoms. This year the tool will be launched into pilot practices, thus, we are looking for partner practices to use the tool to improve patient experience and outcomes. Check out the video below to see a promotional clip for MSK Gateway.

Contact Us Today

If you need help with tendering, give us a call today to see how we can assist you. Contact info@klowconsulting.com or give us a call on 0330 133 1041.

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How do I write an equality and diversity answer on a tender?

Equality and Diversity

Have you ever wondered how to get maximum marks on an Equality & Diversity question on a tender? The answer is simple.

The key to an effective Equality & Diversity answer is to improve your approaches to Equality & Diversity within your workplace, offer as many Diversity initiatives that you can and build a stronger and more inclusive workforce.

As you may be aware, an Equality & Diversity question appears on a large number of tenders. Thus, it is critical for your organisation to be aware of the requirements and provide the best possible answer. Being awarded top marks on this question will increase your chances of winning a tender.

The Equality Act (2010)

To demonstrate to the commissioner that you have an in-depth knowledge on Equality & Diversity, your policies should align with The Equality Act (2010). This shows that your organisation exercises best practice.

The Equality Act (2010) protects individuals, acting as a standing point for a more diverse and equal society. Types of discrimination can be against the following:

  • Age
  • Gender Re-assignment
  • Being married or in a civil partnership
  • Being pregnant or on maternity leave
  • Disability
  • Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual Orientation

The Act covers:

  • The Equal Pay Act 1970
  • The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
  • The Race Relations Act 1976
  • The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  • The Employment Equality (religion or belief) regulations 2003
  • The Employment Equality (sexual orientation) regulations 2003
  • The Equality Act 2006, part 2
  • The Equality Act (sexual orientation) regulations 2007

In order to stand as a diverse and equal organisation, buyers must reflect and implement the policies and codes of conduct that the Equality Act (2010) represents, making their policies readily available for customers, clients and any other significant stakeholders.

The Impact of Equality & Diversity Within an Organisation

Equality & Diversity within an organisation can improve the quality of the work delivered, create a diverse and integrated workforce, build stronger communities and identify under-representation within society. The more that this is evidenced within your answer, the more effective the answer will become.

To build a stronger and more inclusive workforce, there are some recommendations for what can be done. Reflecting some of these incentives will enable you to build a more constructive answer:

  • Conduct research to evaluate those who are under-represented within local communities
  • Monitor diversity during the recruitment process
  • Advertise traditionally and present vacancies utilising diverse job-boards
  • Build relationships with diversity partners to network more candidates
  • Work towards obtaining accreditations for diversity such as the ‘Two Ticks Scheme’ and ‘Clear Assured’

Having these initiatives and incentives in place within your organisation will help you substantially when answering this question.

What to Expect from An Equality & Diversity Question

You may be required to submit an eligibility questionnaire as part of the process; part of this questionnaire may be based on your organisations Equality & Diversity policies. Your answers to these questions will be measured against statutory regulations.

If equality is a core principle within the tender, you may be asked to provide further information and evidence to support the submission. For an Equality & Diversity question, commissioners need to ensure the quality in the terms and conditions; employers must offer equal pay, terms & conditions promotion, transfer opportunities, training, dismissal and redundancy procedures to all employees regardless of any personal characteristics.

It is important to know what will be asked of you for an Equality & Diversity question. You may be asked to provide:

  • Your organisation’s Equality & Diversity policies
  • Details of any unlawful discrimination breaches
  • Any formal investigations carried out on your organisation in the last 3 years
  • Copies of recruitment training or promotion instructions

An example of Equality & Diversity questions:

  • Provide the processes your organisation has in place to ensure that candidates are managed in a fair and non-discriminatory manner
  • Provide the processes your organisation has in place to ensure that you attract a diverse and inclusive candidate base
  • Do you provide Equality and Diversity training for staff?
  • Has your organisation been the subject of any formal investigation by the commission for Racial Equality, The Equality Opportunities Communities or the Disability Rights Commission on grounds of alleged unlawful discrimination?

Preparing your Equality & Diversity Answer

You will need to take into consideration your organisation’s practices when it comes to Equality & Diversity. When providing details of your organisations Equality & Diversity policy, your answer will have added quality if you are able to understand, monitor and evaluate the local demographics that are contextually stated within the tender. Identifying and demonstrating your knowledge of under-represented communities and then proposing practical ways to engage with them with help you to prepare this answer.

You will also have to take into consideration when preparing your answer:

  • How to attract a more diverse workforce
  • How you ensure equal opportunities within your organisation
  • How to measure and evaluate the success of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce
  • How you ensure that staff are well equipped to meet the equitable approaches expected of your policy and procedures
  • How you advise clients on Equality & Diversity issues and impacted procedures